As the holiday season approaches Mother Nature delivered an early present with up a half a foot of snow in the mountains of West Virginia. After a week of on and off “underdeveloped snow” at all of the resorts, the snowfall was a welcomed sight at Timberline, Winterplace, Snowshoe Mountain and Canaan Valley. The natural snowfall may also allow the White Grass and Elk River Touring centers to open a few cross-country and snowshoeing trails.

Snowshoe Mountain was able to open its Silver Creek area this past Friday and in turn begin offering the most open terrain in the mid-Atlantic and southeast regions. After suspending on-slope operations for a week the folks at Timberline dropped the ropes again on Saturday, while Winterplace will resume skiing and snowboarding on Monday, December 17.

Along with the natural snowfall came much needed subfreezing temperatures as the thermometer dropped into the low 20’s at the higher elevations. Those temperatures allowed snowmakers at all of the resorts to crank the snowguns and start covering the slopes again. By the way, skiers and snowboarders should anticipate aggressive snowmaking at all of the resorts, which means the guns will be operating on open terrain. That also means don’t forget your goggles. It is recommended to call ahead to all of the resorts for up to date conditions and opening day news.

Here is a reminder about an opportunity in Tucker County this season for skiers and snowboarders. Canaan Valley and Timberline Resorts have joined forces for the 2007-2008 ski season to offer guests the ability to ski both mountains for one price. Guests taking advantage of the Ski The Valley Pass will have 76 trails and four terrain parks, when the resorts are fully open and the option of skiing the two mountains when and how they want.

The Pass will be sold as a two-day lift ticket and can be purchased at the lift ticket windows of both ski areas. The cost for the pass is: $40 for a two-day pass during Value Season (Dec. 14-24; Mar. 17-23); $65 for a two-day pass during weekdays in Prime Season (Jan. 1-Mar. 13); and, $95 for a two-day pass during weekends in Prime Season (Jan. 4-Mar. 16). The ticket will not be available during the Christmas (12/25-12/31), Presidents Day or Martin Luther King Day holidays.

It looks like there is a continued chance of snowmaking conditions and natural snow for most of this week in the higher elevations of West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains. So get out there and make those first turns of the season.